AFRICA
South Africa Faces Hefty $124Bn Energy ‘Transition Risk’
Fin 24
South Africa faces a “transition risk” of $124 billion between now and 2035 if it carries on with business as usual while the rest of the world cuts greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.
Ministry Of Energy Launches A New Solar Energy Initiative
NTV
A new effort aimed at providing solar installation to 10,000 households across the country has been launched. Power a home, a Germany organisation, the Ministry of Energy and Miss Africa Quin Abenakyo will be at the forefront.
Indian Bank Approves $83.11M For Solar PV Plants In DRC
Esi-Africa
Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has, on behalf of the government of India, extended three lines of credit totaling $83.11 million to the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
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ASIA
South Korea Likely To Miss Its 2030 Renewable Energy Target
Zawya
South Korea is likely to miss its 2030 renewable energy target even though the country’s renewables capacity is expected to triple from 2019, consultants Wood Mackenzie said on Wednesday.
Solar Inverter Company Ginlong Solis Floats 20M Shares In IPO Raising $79M
Mercom India
Ginlong (Solis) Technologies, a manufacturer of solar PV string inverters, has been listed as a public company on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange at 4 billion Yuan (~$590 million), the company announced in a press statement. According to the company, it is the first string inverter company to be listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.
China Space Race: Chinese Solar Panels Plan Will ‘Lead To World Domination’
Express.co
China is building the world’s first space solar panel array – and according to one leading space exert, the aim is to monopolise the world’s energy market is an attempt at global military domination.
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AUSTRALIA
Renewable Energy Conglomerate Wins Major Solar Farm Bid Through HSF’s Help
Australasian Lawyer
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has helped the Australian arm of Spanish renewable energy conglomerate Acciona win its bid to acquire one of the country’s largest solar projects – the 265MW Aldoga solar farm in Gladstone, Queensland.
Solar PV And Batteries To Provide 24-Hour Power For Santos Oil Pumps
PV magazine
Santos’s Cooper Basin oil production is set to be transformed by a trial using solar PV and a CSIRO-developed hybrid battery to replace diesel generators powering the pumps that deliver oil from underground 24/7. Early success suggests the trial will serve as a proof point for the reliability of renewables in many more off-grid applications.
Work Begins On Western Australia Solar With Battery Storage To Follow
Energy Matters
Construction has begun at a Western Australia solar farm, WA’s largest solar farm, which is expected to deliver 281 GWh of clean electricity when it’s up and running.
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EUROPE
European Parliament Approves Electricity Market Design Proposal
PV magazine
The European Parliament has adopted three new regulations and a new directive for a revised internal electricity market in the EU. The European Commission submitted the proposal in late 2016, as part of negotiations over the Clean Energy for All Package.
Vortex Energy Wraps Up Sale Of Minority In 998MW Wind Portfolio
Renewables Now
European renewable energy platform Vortex Energy has closed the sale of a 49% stake in its 998MW Pan-European wind portfolio to institutional investors advised by JP Morgan Asset Management.
Germany’s Uniper Feeds Wind Power-To-Methane Into Gas Grid
Reuters
German utility Uniper has started producing methane gas derived from wind power and feeding it into gas pipeline networks at its Falkenhagen site as the country seeks wider uses for renewable energy.
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LATIN AMERICA
BYD And Pireos Capital Partner For Deployment Of 100MWh ESS In Mexico
Green Car Congress
BYD and Pireos Capital, an energy fund created to finance the development of photovoltaic plus energy storage systems (PV+ESS) projects in Mexico and Latin America, announced today a new partnership for the deployment of 100MWh ESS in Mexico, equivalent to the daily power consumption of 30,000 households.
Brazil’s PV Capacity Exceeds 2.5GW
PV Magazine
With around 2,056 MW of operational installed capacity from large-scale PV and more than 500 MW of installed distributed-generation capacity, Brazil has now surpassed Chile to become Latin America’s second-largest solar market after Mexico. According to new statistics released by Brazilian industry association ABSOLAR, utility-scale solar currently accounts for around 1.2% of the country’s total generating capacity.
Phono Solar: Module Factories In The US And South America On The Horizon
PV Magazine
PV Magazine recently caught up with Aaron Wu, executive vice president of Phono Solar Technology, the Nanjing-based PV manufacturer. Phono Solar is a bankable supplier, having achieved top tier status in 2014 and being part of SUMEC Group Corp., a diversified industrial group with over RMB 80 billion ($11.87 billion) in turnover in 2018.
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MENA
New Dh2 Billion ‘Mini City’ Project In Sharjah To Run Fully On Renewable Energy
Gulf News
Sharjah is to build a Dh2 billion “mini-city” occupying 7.2 million square feet and featuring up to 1,120 villas that will be run fully on renewable energy sources. The location for Sharjah Sustainable City — as it will be known — is the Umm Fannian area near Al Rahmaniya.
950MW Of Solar Projects In Saudi Arabia Achieve Financial Closure
Mercom India
The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and a consortium of Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power and the Silk Road Fund, which is owned by the Chinese Government, announced the financial closure for a 950 MW solar park project. This would be the fourth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.
Egypt Curious To Explore If Geothermal Energy Is An Option For The Country
Think Geoenergy
The Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy of Egypt is actively seeking out international cooperation and funding to set up a geothermal energy map in Egypt, according to the Ministry of Electricity’s first undersecretary for Research, Planning, Authorities’ Follow-up and International Cooperation, Mohamen Mousa Omran.
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NORTH AMERICA
The Wonderful Company Aims For 100% Renewable Electricity In US By 2025
Power Technology
The Wonderful Company has made a commitment to use 100% renewable energy for all its operations in the US by 2025.
Department Of Energy Announces $130 Million For Early-Stage Solar Research Project
Energy.gov
Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $130 million for new research to advance early-stage solar technologies. These projects will help to achieve affordable and reliable energy to enhance America’s economic growth and energy security.
California Solar Sets Solar Record
Clean Technica
On Saturday, March 16, California set a new solar energy record. Just before 3 o’clock in the afternoon, solar output peaked at 10,765 megawatts, the highest amount ever, though just a smidgen more than the previous record set last June. According to the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), demand at that time, not including behind-the-meter solar, was around 18 gigawatts. Los Angeles and Sacramento are not part of the CAISO grid.
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